How long does SFI take? The courses in points and weeks
There is no simple answer to how long SFI takes. It depends on where you start, how much you study and how quickly you learn. But from 2027 there is a better way to estimate it than before: every course gets a size in points. Here is how to turn the points into weeks, and what the three-year time limit means.
Points and weeks
From 1 January 2027, the SFI syllabuses state how many credit points (verksamhetspoäng) each course is worth. In komvux, 20 points equal one week of full-time study. A 300-point course is therefore roughly 15 weeks full-time, and a 1,000-point course roughly 50 weeks.
The courses in numbers
| Study path | Courses and points | Total | Roughly, weeks full-time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1A 900, 1B 1,000, 1C 1,000, 1D 900 | 3,800 | 190 |
| 2 | 2B 600, 2C 800, 2D 700 | 2,100 | 105 |
| 3 | 3C 500, 3D 300 | 800 | 40 |
Two more courses exist for those who need them: basic reading and writing (400 points, roughly 20 weeks) and latinisering (100 points, roughly 5 weeks), for people who read and write in another alphabet.
Two things are worth knowing. You do not necessarily start on the first course: the school assesses your Swedish and places you on the course that fits. And the points describe the size of a course, not a deadline. How fast you progress is planned in your individual study plan.
The study paths and the new course names are covered in SFI in 2027: new courses and new national tests.
The three-year time limit
Since 1 January 2026, SFI has a time limit:
- Three years from the day you were first admitted. The clock keeps running during breaks and does not restart if you move.
- Extensions of up to six months at a time, to a maximum of six years in total, for special reasons such as illness or parental leave. Ask before your three years are up.
- Absence of more than three weeks in a row without illness or approved leave counts as leaving.
- Started before 2026? Your three years run until 31 December 2028.
Compare that with the table. Study path 1 adds up to 3,800 points, roughly 190 weeks full-time, which is more than three years even if you studied full-time all year round. If you are on study path 1, talk to your school early about your plan and about the possibility of an extension.
What affects how fast it goes
- Hours. The municipality must offer at least 15 hours of teaching a week, averaged over four weeks. You can ask for fewer hours, and the school decides whether that works.
- Work and placements. SFI can be combined with a job, a work placement or other studies, which means fewer hours in class but often more Swedish in everyday life.
- Practice outside lessons. Every day with Swedish outside the classroom counts, for example news in easy Swedish, radio and practice apps.
Courses started before 2027
A course you started before 1 January 2027 follows the old syllabus. How long it is planned to take is in your individual study plan, so ask your school if you are unsure.
Can it go faster?
Yes. The pace is individual, and if you live in Sweden and already know Swedish you can take a prövning, an assessment against the syllabus, and get a grade without taking the course. How grades are set is covered in How the SFI test is graded.
In summary
SFI has no fixed length, but from 2027 every course has a size in points, and 20 points equal one week of full-time study. Study path 3 is roughly 40 weeks full-time, study path 2 roughly 105 and study path 1 roughly 190. The time limit is three years, with extensions possible for special reasons, so plan your pace with your school.
SFI Prov is a free app to practise with between lessons: a beginner path of short lessons, words with recorded audio at normal and slow speed, and practice tests in reading, listening and writing for courses C and D.
Download SFI Prov on the App Store → · Google Play →
Sources
In Swedish.
- Skolverket: SKOLFS 2026:67, the regulation with the new sfi syllabuses
- Ordinance (2011:1108) on adult education
- Skolverket: The right to sfi
- Skolverket: Stricter requirements in sfi
- Skolverket: Information about the new sfi syllabuses
SFI Prov is independent study material from SverigeFokus and is not affiliated with Skolverket, your municipality or any other authority. Always check what applies with your school.
Frequently asked questions
How long does SFI take?
There is no fixed time. It depends on which study path and course you start on and how much you study. From 2027 each syllabus gives the course's size in points, and 20 points equal one week of full-time study.
How many weeks is SFI course D?
For courses started from 2027, 3D is 300 points, roughly 15 weeks full-time, 2D is 700 points, roughly 35 weeks, and 1D is 900 points, roughly 45 weeks.
How long are you allowed to study SFI?
Three years from the day you were first admitted. For special reasons, the time can be extended by up to six months at a time, to a maximum of six years.
Can you finish SFI faster?
The pace is individual and planned in your study plan. If you live in Sweden and already know Swedish, you can take a prövning, an assessment, and get a grade without taking the course.
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